AIADMK plays trick on Oppn

The united Opposition in the Rajya Sabha got a false hope from the AIADMK’s assurance to suspend daily disruption of the proceedings to let some business transacted and some discussions held in the last two days.

The Lok Sabha remained stuck for the 20th day in a row on Wednesday due to ruckus that also drowned the no-confidence move against the Modi government for the 12th day, with no hope of it materialising even before the budget session ends on Friday.

The united Opposition in the Rajya Sabha got a false hope from the AIADMK’s assurance to suspend daily disruption of the proceedings to let some business transacted and some discussions held in the last two days. The AIADMK came on board on Opposition leader Ghulam Nabi Azad’s promise to put their demand for a Cauvery water management board on top of the discussions as it concerns drinking water problem in Tamil Nadu.

A realisation, however, dawned on the Opposition that the AIADMK was only playing the government’s game to get the House pass the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill pending since 2013 despite cleared by the Select Committee when the Rajya Sabha Chairman wanted it passed in the post-lunch session before taking up any discussion and the AIADMK agreed.

The Bill, which had been already passed by the Lok Sabha five years ago, was put to vote in the Rajya Sabha without discussion, but without success as the Opposition created a pandemonium by repeatedly rushing into well forcing short adjournments and the Chair could not proceed with voting due to a Trinamul member’s demand for division that cannot be held in the din.

The AIADMK members have been disrupting both the Houses on the Cauvery issue that suits the government in preventing any embarrassing discussions. Nor can the government concede their demand lest it adversely impacts the BJP’s poll prospects in Karnataka having Assembly elections on May 12.

A senior Congress leader rued that the AIADMK is preventing the no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha as a part of “match-fixing” with the government and it may continue the ruckus as well on Thursday and Friday to let the motion remain hanging lest it gives an opportunity to the opposition parties to put the government on the mat on many issues they are agitated.

Meanwhile, the number of notices for the no-confidence motion dropped from 14 to 11 with Congress group leader Mallikarjun Kharge being prominent among those opting not to give a fresh notice on Wednesday though the Congress remained on board with a notice by its another member Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, however, adjourned the House for the day, saying she cannot bring the no-confidence notices before the House since it is not in order.

“Unless the House is in order, I will not be in a position to count the 50 members who have to stand in their assigned places (to grant leave for discussion on the no-confidence motion),” she said, urging slogan-shouting AIADMK members in the well to go back to seats but without success.